Starwood Opens Second Westin in Panama

STAMFORD, Conn.—Located in Costa del Este, Panama City’s newest corporate and financial center, The Westin Panama is the third Starwood property developed and operated by Bern Hotels & Resorts, Panama’s largest hotel developer and operator. With the opening of The Westin Panama, Starwood Hotels now has seven hotels in Panama.

“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Bern Hotels & Resorts and open another spectacular Westin hotel in Panama, Latin America’s fastest growing market and a strategic business hub,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, co-president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Americas. “In the past few years, Starwood has emerged as one of the leading global hospitality companies in Panama, which is experiencing an influx of foreign investment and large-scale infrastructure improvements, including the soon-to-be-completed enlargement of the Panama Canal.”

The Westin Panama offers 218 rooms, including 45 suites, food and beverage outlets, and 14,460 square feet of meeting and function space. The newly constructed hotel is a key element of the Costa del Este financial center, which includes several real estate developments, numerous multi-national corporate offices, and a boardwalk lined with shops and restaurants.

Westin has nearly doubled its portfolio in Latin America in just the past 18 months as part of the brand’s strategic expansion in emerging markets. With the opening of The Westin Panama, Westin now has 12 hotels in Latin America, spanning five countries including Panama, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica and Guatemala. On track to open its 200th hotel in 2013, Westin will open the vast majority of its new hotels outside of North America.

“We are proud to open The Westin Panama, following the recent opening of The Westin Playa Bonita Resort & Spa,” said Glen Champion, vice-president of Bern Hotels & Resorts Panama. “Our partnership with Starwood has accelerated the introduction of high-caliber global hotel brands in Panama, one of the most dynamic markets in Latin America.”